BRO inks agreement with Jharkhand to stem exodus of skilled workers

Apparently alarmed over large scale exodus of its workers to Jharkhand, the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), under the Union Ministry of Defence, has now agreed to ensure better working conditions and living wages to be paid to them should they prefer to come back and engage themselves in the constructions of roads and bridges in bordering areas.

The agreement was proposed by the BRO after the migrants working for it in inaccessible areas of Leh and Ladakh made distress calls to Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Sorenrequesting him to make arrangements to get them back to their homes in the state, following which they were airlifted.

The state government also made available to these workers, most of whom belong to SanthalPargana region of the state, buses to reach home after they alighted at Birsa Munda Airport in Ranchi. The exercise is still on and in the midst of it, BRO reached out to the Jharkhand CM.

While reiterating that national security was top priority for him, Soren agreed to the proposal with riders for better work conditions for the Jharkhand workers engaged in road constructions in border areas. He even spoke to Union Defence Minister, Rajnath Singh, after he heard from the migrants who arrived in Ranchi about the callous treatment meted out to them while working with BRO, and directed his Principal Secretary to oversee the terms and conditions proposed by BRO for reappointment of the Jharkhand workers under the provisions of Interstate Labour Act,1979 and the Workmen’s Compensation Act,1923.

Some sort of accord between BRO and the state government was reached wherein it was agreed that the workers would not be engaged in through contractors. Instead, BRO would directly recruit them with assured enhanced salaries, and other benefits like medical facilities, tour allowance, housing facilities and insurance payable against accident.

The agreement also provides for the registration of the workers by the Deputy Commissioner in Jharkhand with remuneration ranging from Rs23,100 for skilled and unskilled workers. The agreement also stipulates special allowance for working on high altitude and Rs 3000 for ration too. BRO is learnt to have sent its consent agreeing on all these facilities to be given to those who would prefer to join BRO’s projects in inaccessible areas.

The BRO constructs and maintain road network in India’s border areas and friendly neighbouringcountries. It operates and maintains over 33,000kilometers of roads and 12,200 meters of permanent bridges in the country. Presently, BRO is also involved in the construction of a tunnel at Rohtang Pass which is estimated to be ready by the year end.

In a bid to boost border connectivity, BRO has been entirely brought under the Ministry of Defence whereas earlier it used to receive funds from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.

With such a huge workload, BRO could in no way afford to lose the workers from Jharkhand who highly skilled in construction of border roads network. Most of these tribal workers hailing from Santhal Pargana join the BRO construction work in the bordering areas twice a year. They remain there on work during April and May and thereafter go in October and November.

However, they had been bearing the brunt of inhuman working conditions and paltry salaries till panic gripped the entire migrant work force due to the COVID-19 pandemic.